Thread: Newbie question

Originally Posted by Andrewmcbride

Just wondering how one would go about drilling a 9.5mm hole through the side of 16 mm dowell?

Depends on what equipment you have to do it with Andrew.

Drill press? powerdrill? bit and brace? handdrill?

Is the dowel embedded in anything or can it be taken to the workbench or do you have to bring the tools to the dowel?

Do you know what a "V-block" is?

With a bit more information I may be able to help you.

Cheers

Doug

Do you have a drill press ? or just hand held drill ?...
As Doug mentioned...tools ?

V Block would be the easiest......

V BLOCK.PNG

Go the V block and if you are worried about it rolling in the V while drilling clamp the dowel to the Vblock and a bench

Can I just point out that at this stage we are yet to establish whether Andrew has the facilities to make a V-block

True....but you can make a V Block with a basic handsaw if you can clamp the block down

At the bare minimum ...if a V Block is not possible, you could get away with clamping the dowel to some material that can be sacrificed eg scrap piece of timber but you should use a Brad Point Drill Bit...NOT the standard Speed Drill Bit

Brad Point

Brad Point.PNG

Originally Posted by skot

but you should use a Brad Point Drill Bit

A very good point (pun intended) but if this keeps going he will have to wade through 50 posts suggesting anything from CNC routers to lazer cutters that he does not have just to find something that he can do with the equipment he has. There's only 3.25 mm on each side of the hole. Thats not a lot of timber to be leaving on a round profile as it is.

The question is how Andrew can do it and until we know a bit more about what he has available to do it with.

If I was doing it myself with minimal tools I would cut a shallow v groove in a block, drill a perpendicular 9.5 mm hole through the centre of the V. I could then use the V block to hold the dowel down while I drilled a guided hole, thereby eliminating the need for a clamp. But we dont know if Andrew can do that.

Cheers

Doug

Originally Posted by doug3030

Can I just point out that at this stage we are yet to establish whether Andrew has the facilities to make a V-block

Or if he has a 9.5mm drill bit bit I'll go back and read the rest of the thread now

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

One of these would be ideal.
http://www.shop.biggatortools.com/Me...-MDG1000NP.htm

Sorry fellas, been away at work with no phone service, I have minimal tools, I have clamps, hand drill, hand saws, etc. I may be able to get my hands on a bench drill press though. I tried using brad points and normal drills but it broke out every time. I need to drill, 3 holes in a row in 28 pieces of dowell, unless I can think of another way of doing it.
I am trying to make a set of toy timber cattle yards for my son.

Originally Posted by Andrewmcbride

..... I have minimal tools, I have clamps, hand drill, hand saws, etc. I may be able to get my hands on a bench drill press though........

It would be easier to drill holes using a drill press. And as skot mention holding the dowel in a V Block.

Originally Posted by skot

.....

V Block would be the easiest......

V BLOCK.PNG

The V Block does not have to be perfect it just has to hold the dowel so it does not turn on you when drilling. You can cut this out using the handsaw from one angle then come in from the other angle.
If the dowel is higher than the V Block you can even tape the dowel to the V Block so you only need to hold the block to stop it from spinning.

Hi Andrew,

I fear that there might not be enough timber left in the dowel around the holes to be strong enough for use as a kid's toy. It could be very disappointing for you both if after all that work it does not stand up to its intended use.

Can you redesign the project to suit the tools you have and some slightly more robust materials? Square or rectangular pieces would leave more timber around the holes and be easier to drill with a hand-held drill as well as still looking authentic.

Cheers

Doug

Hi Doug, I was only going with the 16mm dowell so I could drill a hole in the ply base for strength but I think I may have to take your advice and use square timber

Drill a 16mm hole in a square/rectangular block of wood and insert the dowel though the hole.
Then drill the 9.5 mm through the two.
You may be able to continue to use the wooden block with the 9.5mm hole in it as a template
It will take a bit of a wriggle to get the dowel out of the block but the block will stop the dowel from splitting.